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South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Rapid City, SD · City · 2,071 students
WebsiteForbes rankingScorecard
Application deadlines: Check the admissions site
$20,183
Average net priceYour net price
In-state · 2023-24
<30
30–48
48–75
75–110
110+
By household income — tap a bar
56%
Graduation rate
Entered fall 2017 & 2018
52% typical
$72,257
Earnings 10 years on
Measured 2020 & 2021
$51,562 typical
80%
Acceptance rate
Applied for fall 2024
81% typical · not scored
Accredited by Higher Learning Commission
About

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology is a specialized public STEM university renowned for its high-value education and premier programs in geological, metallurgical, mining, and mechanical engineering. The institution is best known for its extraordinary return on investment, consistently boasting graduate placement rates near 97% and starting salaries that rival elite private institutions. Campus culture is tight-knit, industrious, and collaborative, driven by hands-on design teams and time-honored traditions like the annual trek to whitewash the "M" on nearby M-Hill. Situated in Rapid City against the backdrop of the Black Hills, the university offers students a natural living laboratory for earth and physical sciences alongside world-class outdoor recreation.

Wikipedia:The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology is a public university in Rapid City, South Dakota, United States. It is governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents and was founded in 1885. South Dakota Mines offers bachelor's, master’s, and doctoral degrees.

Location
Rapid City, SD, 57701-3995 · City campus
✈
Nearest airport from college
DEN · Denver
301 mi away
Open in Google Maps
Cost & aid
Cost of attendance
These figures are federal data and may be out of date.
In-stateOut-of-state
Tuition & fees$10,500$14,900
Housing & food (on campus)$9,300$9,300
Books & supplies$1,900$1,900
Cost of attendance$25,385$29,785 est.
Average net price$20,183Not published
Out-of-state prices
Tuition & fees$14,900
In-state: $10,500
Housing & food (on campus)$9,300
Books & supplies$1,900
Cost of attendance$29,785 est.
In-state: $25,385
Average net priceNot published
In-state: $20,183
est. = the in-state cost of attendance with out-of-state tuition swapped in; no out-of-state figure is published.
Net price by family income · in-state students, 2023-24
$0–30k
$15,348
$30–48k
$17,909
$48–75k
$18,366
$75–110k
$21,176
$110k+
$21,993
Outcomes
Completion
Within 6 yrs
56%
Entered 2017–18
Within 4 yrs
24%
Back for yr 2
84%
Transferred
2%
8 yrs after starting · first-time, full-time students
59% graduated · 6% transferred · 35% left or unknown · none still enrolled
Earnings · measured 2020 & 2021
6 yrs after entry$62,863
10 yrs after entry$72,257
Debt
Median at graduation$27,000
Monthly payment$286
Middle 50% owe$7.1k–$29.5k
90th percentile$37,564
Green marks a figure above the typical Master's (medium programs): 52% graduate within 6 yrs, $51,562 earned 10 yrs after entry.
Admissions
Getting in · applied for fall 2024
Admit rate
80%
Test policy
Test optional
Per College Scorecard
SAT average
1245
R 560–660 · M 580–680
ACT midpoint
27
Comp 24–30 · E 21–28 · M 24–29
SAT middle 50%: 1140–1340
40080012001600

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Essay prompts

If South Dakota School of Mines and Technology asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the school's application.

Student Body
Gender
Men 79%Women 21%
Who enrolls
Faculty ratio
12 : 1
Pell grant
17%
First-gen
18%
Family income
$76,508
Independent
10%
Age at entry
20.0
Part-time
13%
Race & ethnicity
White
82%
Hispanic
6%
Black
1%
Asian
2%
Two or more
3%
Non-resident
1%
AI/AN
1%
Unknown
4%
Varsity sports
NCAA Division II with football · EADA 2024-25
  • Basketball
    Men's · Women's
  • Football
    Men's
  • Golf
    Men's · Women's
  • Soccer
    Men's
  • Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
    Men's · Women's
  • Volleyball
    Women's
Programs & Earnings
Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings
Median earnings, all programs · measured 2020 & 2021
After 6 yrs
$62,863
After 10 yrs
$72,257
Mechanical Engineering76
Chemical Engineering42
Civil Engineering39
Industrial Engineering30
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering28
Computer and Information Sciences, General27
Biomedical/Medical Engineering21
Metallurgical Engineering20
Mining and Mineral Engineering13
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences13
Geological/Geophysical Engineering12
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other11
Mathematics10
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General9
Computer Engineering8
Chemistry7
Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.
Institutional
Resources
Endowment
$111M
Full-time faculty
88%
Faculty salary
$11,245/mo
Teaching spend
$13,495
per student
Federal loans
40%
Classification
Carnegie type
Master's (medium programs)
Research activity
Research college or university
$24M research spending · 16 research doctorates a year
Undergraduate profile
Four-year, more selective admissions

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